1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the cleaning of colostomy pouches or bags and related bags which become contaminated with waste. More particularly, this invention relates to a device for cleaning such bags or pouches and a method for cleaning such bags or pouches, particularly a colostomy bag or pouch.
2. Background Information
Certain diseases and physical conditions require surgical intervention which involves the creation of an opening or orifice in the patient""s body for the elimination of human waste therefrom. The waste, such as fecal material exits through the surgically created orifice or opening. Since the opening for the elimination of waste has been surgically created, the patient does not have any muscular control which could be used to effectively open and close the opening. Therefore, the patient is forced to wear a waste collection bag or pouch which is adapted to receive the waste from the opening in a sanitary manner so that the waste can be collected in the bag without leakage therefrom. Periodically, the bag must be detached from the opening so that the waste contents can be eliminated. It is therefore necessary to periodically clean the bag before it is used again. Typical surgical procedures which result in the creation of an orifice in the body for waste elimination include colostomy, surgical procedures, ileostomy surgical procedures and the like. These surgical procedures are generally referred to as ostomies and the waste collection containers are generally called ostomy pouches. Thus, for example, the pouch used by a colostomy patient is typically referred to as a colostomy pouch.
The opening created during colostomy surgery is an opening where a portion of the intestine, usually the large intestine or the colon empties fecal material through the opening. Such an opening is referred to as a stoma.
The colostomy pouch is configured to receive the fecal waste which passes through the stoma for sanitary collection therein. Typical colostomy pouches include an opening along an upper side portion thereof for connection to the stoma. The bottom of the pouch typically includes a generally cylindrical aperture which is used to empty the pouch.
The ostomy pouches are generally made of durable high grade rubber or plastic and are therefore generally not disposable. Thus, the accumulated waste must be periodically removed from the pouch in a cleaning procedure so that the pouch can be reused. Numerous types of cleaning devices are known in the art for cleaning colostomy pouches and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,709,236 describes a colostomy pouch rinsing device which utilizes a spray head attached to a tube. Water is supplied to the tube through a rubber hose which is connected to a faucet. A water control handle is provided which allows the user to control the flow of water to the spray head. In operation, the spray head must be manually inserted into the colostomy pouch while the user holds the pouch over a toilet. Obviously, the user must manually hold the bag during the washing procedure which is not entirely satisfactory. In addition, it is easy for sprayed water to contact the user during the spraying procedure and the water and waste material exiting through the lower portion of the bag is prone to splashing in the toilet and can therefor contact the user.
The ostomy pouch flusher described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,878 uses a wand or tube which is inserted into the colostomy pouch so that water can be sprayed into the interior portion of the pouch during the cleaning operation. This device suffers from the same disadvantages described above.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,668 also describes a colostomy bag cleaning device which requires manually holding the bag and inserting a spray tube therein. This device, like the devices described above, requires the patient to manually insert the spray tube into the colostomy pouch while holding the pouch over the toilet. Thus, this device suffers from the same disadvantages noted above.
None of the prior art devices provide a simple and efficient cleaning operation wherein the user does not have to physically contact the colostomy bag during the cleaning procedure. In addition, none of the prior art devices provide for the simultaneous interior and exterior cleaning of the pouch. Furthermore, none of the prior art devices provide any means for protecting the user from spray and splashing during the cleaning process and none of the prior art devices provide any means for delivering water and waste from the cleaning process directly into the toilet in a sanitary manner.
In view of the above, it will be appreciated that there exists a need for an improved colostomy pouch cleaning apparatus which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art devices, particularly the disadvantages noted above.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning colostomy bags and the like which avoids the above noted disadvantages associated with the prior art devices.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning a colostomy bag or the like which allows sanitary cleaning of the bag without requiring the user to contact the bag during the cleaning operation.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a device for cleaning a colostomy bag or the like with sprayed water while protecting the user from spray and contaminated water during the cleaning procedure.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for cleaning colostomy bags and the like which provides for the safe and effective cleaning of both the interior and exterior portions of the bag, preferably, the simultaneous cleaning of the exterior and interior portions of the bag.
It is also an objective of the present invention to provide a cleaning device for cleaning a colostomy bag or the like which further provides for the delivery of waste and water from the cleaning procedure directly to a toilet bowl while protecting the user from contact with the waste and the water.
These and other objectives are obtained by providing a cleaning device which includes at least three water sprayers attached to a conduit for the supply of water thereto. One of the water sprayers is a middle water sprayer configured for receiving the pouch around the sprayer so that the middle water sprayer extends inside the pouch for cleaning the interior of the pouch with sprayed water. The other two sprayers are lateral water sprayers located alongside the middle water sprayer. The lateral water sprayers are configured to clean the exterior of the pouch when the middle water sprayer extends inside the pouch. Preferably, the three water sprayers operate simultaneously for effective cleaning action. A holder is provided for holding the pouch at a location wherein the middle sprayer is extended within the pouch for interior cleaning thereof and the lateral water sprayers are disposed alongside the exterior of the pouch for exterior cleaning thereof.
The device includes a conduit for passing water therethrough to thereby provide water for the water sprayers. The conduit is therefore in fluid communication with the sprayers so that water flowing through the conduit enters the sprayers and is thereby sprayed onto the pouch.
A coupler is advantageously employed for connecting the conduit to a source of water. The source of water should be pressurized so that a spray is formed when the water exits openings in the water sprayers. Conventional couplers are advantageously used so that the conduit can be readily connected to a flexible hose or to a standard faucet fixture, especially a hot water fixture to enhance the cleaning action of the water. The water should not be too hot. In particular, water which is scalding hot and which would burn an individuals skin should be avoided.
A dispenser may be connected to the conduit for dispensing a cleaning agent into the conduit for mixture with the water. Suitable cleaning agents include conventional soap and detergent. In addition, sanitizing agent or deodorizing agent may also be dispensed into the conduit through the dispenser for mixing with the water to thereby provide a sanitizing or deodorizing benefit.
A spray shield which is preferably cylindrical in shape with openings at the top and bottom thereof is advantageously used to shield the user from spray and water contaminated with human waste. In addition, the spray shield is used to direct the waste and water from the spray into a conventional toilet for disposal by flushing. This is accomplished by inserting the sprayers into the spray shield and introducing a bottom portion of the spray shield into the toilet so that water sprayed from the sprayers and the material cleaned from the pouch are directed through the spray shield to an opening in the bottom portion thereof which allows the water and waste to enter the toilet bowl for disposal by flushing.
The spray shield may advantageously contain a slot in an upper portion thereof to facilitate insertion of the sprayers therein.
The holder allows the cleaning operation to take place without the user having to touch the pouch. Preferably, the holder is a hanger made out of wire with a handle portion extending upwardly. The device may include a support for holding the hanger in the proper location and in a preferred embodiment, the support comprises a portion of the conduit. The hanger is advantageously configured so that when it is in contact with the support, the user can manually change the position of the pouch such as by lifting the hanger upward and/or laterally to aid in the cleaning operation.
The dispenser may be a pipe in fluid communication with the conduit. A valve is advantageously included in the pipe and the pipe is oriented for gravity feed into the conduit. In operation, the valve is opened to allow the introduction of cleaning agent, sanitizing agent or deodorizing agent or any combination thereof into the conduit for mixing with the water. Once these materials have been added to the conduit, the valve is closed so that pressurized water entering the device does not escape through the dispenser.